Capstone Research Project This summative assignment represents the Capstone Project of the entire Homeland Security and Emergency Management degree program. For this assignment, conduct research on a Homeland Security and Emergency Management topic utilizing the steps of the scientific method. This assignment will have incremental assignments to submit during Week One and Week Two of this course in order to ensure that you are progressing in proper research methodology and scope. The research question and hypothesis approval is due in Week One and a literature review will be due in Week Two. These assignments support the project, but they are graded separately and retain their own values separate from the Capstone research Project. Conduct an original research project in one of the following topic areas. For reference purposes and review, these key homeland security areas and sub-disciplines can be reviewed at the U. S. Department of Homeland Security website.

Topic:

• Counterterrorism activities and programs in aviation security or law enforcement

- General Counterterrorism ( see Department of Homeland Security | Counterterrorism)

- Aviation (see Department of Homeland Security | Transportation Security)

- Law Enforcement (see Department of Homeland Security | Law Enforcement)

• Border security activities and programs in protecting America (See Department of Homeland Security | Border Security)

• Preparedness, response and recovery activities and programs in disaster response or disaster recovery (See Department of Homeland Security | Preparedness, Response & Recovery)

• Immigration activities and programs in immigration enforcement (See Department of Homeland Security | Immigration)

• Homeland security activities and programs in cybersecurity and privacy protection (See Department of Homeland Security | Cybersecurity) Once a topic area has been selected, formulate a research question and supporting hypotheses for approval by the instructor at the conclusion of Week One. Use your approved research questions and hypotheses to develop research variables and a literature review for submission during Week Two. During Week Three, Four and Five, conduct research and write a research paper that is between eight pages in length (excluding the title and reference page) and includes the following basic structure.

1. Identify a key issue and explain the supporting research question in Homeland Security and Emergency Management.

2. State one research hypothesis that may answer the research question. You may use one that you formulated for Week One assignment, "Research Project Prep."

3. Establish research variables for analysis and subsequent confirmation or refute of the research hypothesis.

4. Present results of research informing the proposed research variables. This research must be supported by at least eight legitimate academic resources, five of which can be found in the Ashford Online Library. The course textbook will not be considered for the resource requirement. 

5. Analyze the research question and supporting hypothesis. 

6. Construct a conclusion of research (results and answer of the research).

7. Include a reference page, which does not count towards the summative assignment's page total. The reference page should be as long as needed to accurately account for all utilized research materials. Each item of the reference page should be in APA format and include where the reference was located (i.e., Ashford Online Library, Internet, et.)